This invention relates to a machine control and accounting arrangement and method, for controlling the operation of a machine and for enabling accounting of the operation thereof.
It is frequently necessary for the owner of equipment, such as material processing or handling equipment, to rent the equipment to a user, with the fees for use of the equipment being dependent upon the usage of the equipment. If such renting arrangements are to be based, for example, on prepayment by the user for the use of the equipment for a predetermined extent of usage, or for a predetermined time interval, it is necessary for the owner to monitor the equipment usage, and it may be necessary to provide a dedicated control system in the equipment for inhibiting its usage beyond that for which prepayments have been made.